How We Test and Research
RiderGuide covers electric bikes, scooters, and e-motos. Some we ride ourselves. Some we research from the outside while we wait for a unit. This page tells you which is which, so you know what a rating stands on before you spend money on it.
What “tested” means on RiderGuide
Scored reviews are hands-on. When you see a numeric score on a RiderGuide review, one of us physically rode that exact model. We measured real range on real roads, timed the charge, weighed it, checked the brakes, and lived with it long enough to have an opinion worth trusting. A score means tested. Full stop.
What “researched” means
Researched picks are not scored, and we never call them tested. Some models we have not ridden yet. For those we publish a researched pick or a first look built from published specs, owner feedback, warranty terms, and price history. These pages carry no score and never say we tested the bike. When a unit shows up and we ride it, the researched pick becomes a scored review, and the badge changes to match. If a page has a score, we rode it. If it does not, we researched it. There is no third category.
How we track prices
Prices update at least once a day. Every price shows the date we last checked it. We pull Amazon prices fresh every day, and we read them the way a shopper would, never through an account that could bias the number. So the price next to a buy button is what you would pay today, not a figure from whenever the page went up.
How we verify promo codes
We publish a discount code only after we run it through a real checkout ourselves. Every code shows the date we last tested it. If it stops working at the register, we pull it. We do not scrape coupon feeds or repost codes we have not tried. A dead code wastes your time and makes us look sloppy. One working code with a recent test date beats a wall of expired ones.
Who writes and rides
The people behind these reviews ride electric bikes and scooters every day, and have for years. We commute on them, push them up real hills and over real potholes, and break a few along the way. When we score something, it is because we put miles on it, not because we read a spec sheet and guessed. Our researched picks lean on the same miles to read a spec sheet the way a rider does, not a marketer.
When we get it wrong
We fix it. If a spec changes, a price moves, or we just got something wrong, tell us and we will update the page and say what changed. We would rather fix a number today than let it mislead someone tomorrow. You can reach us through the contact link in the footer.
Frequently asked questions
Does a score mean you actually rode the bike?
Yes, always. A number means hands-on. If we have not ridden it, there is no score.
What is a “researched” pick?
A pick built from specs, owner reports, warranty terms, and price history, with no score, that we never call tested. When we get a unit, it becomes a scored review.
How often do you update prices?
At least once a day, and each price shows the date we last checked it.
Do you get paid for reviews?
We use affiliate links and run some sponsorships, and we disclose them. They never buy a score.
How do you check discount codes?
We run them through a real checkout and pull any that fail.